According to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), more than 81,500 people are experiencing homelessness in our province, many in one of 1,400 encampments often located in public spaces and municipal parkland.
Encampments are not a solution — not for the people forced to live in them, not for surrounding residents, and not for municipalities struggling to respond.
This election, political parties must face a hard truth: Greater enforcement is not the answer.
We cannot police our way out of this problem. Breaking up encampments without providing viable housing and essential supports doesn’t solve homelessness — it shifts it temporarily, pushing people into more precarious situations. Instability is both a cause and consequence of homelessness and dismantling encampments only deepens that instability.
We need evidence-based solutions that reflect the urgency and scale of the homelessness crisis and the unique challenges faced by northern, rural and urban communities.
United Ways across the province believe Ontario’s next premier must commit to:
Scaling Up Supportive and Transitional Housing
Addictions and Mental Health Ontario estimates the cost of housing with supports is $2,200/month ($72/day). This provides significantly greater stability than a shelter bed at $2,083/month or $4,300 in a correctional facility or $13,500 for a hospital bed.
While these figures vary depending on location and level of support required, all suggest supportive housing is more cost-effective, compassionate and successful.
Research shows that every $10 invested in supportive housing saves $21.72 in health care, social services, and justice system costs. Yet, Ontario’s current housing strategies fail to account for the urgent need for supportive housing, leaving many people cycling through crisis systems that deepen instability. The province must prioritize low-barrier, permanent supportive housing — not just as a moral imperative, but as a fiscally responsible solution.
Sustained Investments in Mental Health and Addiction Supports
A continuum of mental health care, including evidence-based harm reduction, crisis intervention and long-term treatment, must be embedded into Ontario’s housing strategy.
These are not just social measures — they are smart, upstream investments that pave the way for housing retention, reduce the burden on policing, emergency services, and the justice system. Without adequate mental health and addiction supports, individuals in crisis end up in emergency rooms, shelters, or with law enforcement — without the care they need. Strengthening community-based mental health services prevents crises, improves outcomes, and reduces reliance on costly, reactive systems.
Innovative Approaches to Distinct Challenges
Encampment evictions cost municipalities millions of dollars, with no measurable reduction in homelessness. Engagement-based models cost less and deliver better outcomes, helping people move from survival to stability. The Dufferin Grove Park Model, which prioritizes relationship-building and social service provision over enforcement, has shown promising results transitioning people from encampments into housing.
In rural areas — where AMO reports homelessness is increasing at a faster rate than in urban centres — limited shelter, transitional housing and specialized support options across greater distances add unique challenges.
But some approaches are proving successful. The Heart to Home Bridge Housing Program in Huron County combines low-barrier entry to transitional housing, intensive case management and group sessions to support the journey to stable housing. In Lanark County, a transitional housing initiative that connects people to services and supports, rent supplements, coupled with medical expertise and harm reduction supports, is helping people stay housed.
This Election Is About More Than Encampments — It’s About Dignity
At its core, this isn’t about encampments. It’s about establishing the foundation for all Ontarians to live with dignity, with sufficient income to meet basic needs. That means increasing social assistance rates and ensuring the minimum wage reflects a living wage, so people aren’t forced into homelessness. As recommended by more than 400 nonprofit housing experts convened by United Ways and partners, it’s about protecting the existing affordable housing we have and developing a new pipeline of affordable co-op and non-profit housing so that people can find an affordable place to live.
Ontario’s next premier must act to ensure those farthest from the shore aren’t thrust into deeper precarity. By addressing poverty at its roots, we’ll also prevent rising costs in health care and emergency services.
Ontarians deserve leadership that understands housing is a human right, and dignity is non-negotiable.
— 23 United Ways across Ontario